Question

A uniform rod of mass 3.30×10−2 kg and length 0.450 m rotates in a horizontal plane about a fixed axis through its center and perpendicular to the rod. Two small rings, each with mass 0.200 kg , are mounted so that they can slide along the rod. They are initially held by catches at positions a distance 5.20×10−2 m on each side from the center of the rod, and the system is rotating at an angular velocity 35.0 rev/min . Without otherwise changing the system, the catches are released, and the rings slide outward along the rod and fly off at the ends.
(a) What is the angular speed of the system at the instant when the rings reach the ends of the rod?

(b) What is the angular speed of the rod after the rings leave it?

Answer 1

(a) 2.75 rev/min

The moment of inertia of the rod rotating about its center is:

$I_R=\frac{1}{12}ML^2$

where

$M=3.30\cdot 10^{-2} kg$ is its mass

L = 0.450 m is its length

Substituting,

$I_R=\frac{1}{12}(3.30\cdot 10^{-2})(0.450)^2=5.57\cdot 10^{-4} kg m^2$

The moment of inertia of the two rings at the beginning is

$I_r = 2mr^2$

where

m = 0.200 kg is the mass of each ring

$r=5.20\cdot 10^{-2} m$ is their distance from the center of the rod

Substituting,

$I_r=2(0.200)(5.20\cdot 10^{-2})^2=1.08\cdot 10^{-3} kg m^2$

So the total moment of inertia at the beginning is

$I_1=I_R+I_r = 5.57\cdot 10^{-4}+1.08\cdot 10^{-3}=1.64\cdot 10^{-3}kg m^2$

The initial angular velocity of the system is

$\omega_1 = 35.0 rev/min$

The angular momentum must be conserved, so we can write:

$L=I_1 \omega_1 = I_2 \omega_2$ (1)

where $I_2$ is the moment of inertia when the rings reach the end of the rod; in this case, the distance of the ring from the center is

$r=\frac{0.450 m}{2}=0.225 m$

so the moment of inertia of the rings is

$I_r=2(0.200)(0.225)^2=0.0203 kg m^2$

and the total moment of inertia is

$I_2 = I_R + I_r =5.57\cdot 10^{-4} + 0.0203 = 0.0209 kg m^2$

Substituting into (1), we find the final angular speed:

$\omega_2 = \frac{I_1 \omega_1}{I_2}=\frac{(1.64\cdot 10^{-3})(35.0)}{0.0209}=2.75 rev/min$

(b) 103.0 rev/min

When the rings leave the rod, the total moment of inertia is just equal to the moment of inertia of the rod, so:

$I_2 = I_R = 5.57\cdot 10^{-4}kg m^2$

So using again equation of conservation of the angular momentum:

$L=I_1 \omega_1 = I_2 \omega_2$

We find the new final angular speed:

$\omega_2 = \frac{I_1 \omega_1}{I_2}=\frac{(1.64\cdot 10^{-3})(35.0)}{5.57\cdot 10^{-4}}=103.0 rev/min$